The Samouco salt flats, consisting of more than 50 small units, have been one of the main salt production centres in the Tagus estuary.
In the mid-1990s, under the environmental compensation measures resulting from the construction of the Vasco da Gama bridge, the Portuguese State expropriated 360 Ha of land to the Samouco salt flats. This area belonged to a larger territory exclusively allocated towards nature conservation and environmental education, managed by Salinas do Samouco Foundation.
The exploitation of salt and salt flower is developed in a demonstration unit where water levels are managed to create breeding and feeding conditions for waterfowl. It also meets the management objectives derived from the inclusion of the area as an SPA for the Tagus estuary, being one of the most important breeding, wintering, and migratory passage for waterbirds in Portugal.
The Salinas de Samouco Foundation has signed a letter of support for the LIFE-Salinas Project as it is also a pilot site in the development of E3 Action regarding the creation of a biodiversity certificate.
http://www.salinasdosamouco.pt/
